CFO Bookshelf: A Deep Dive on Portfolio CFOs

Let’s talk about the identity crisis that comes from making the leap from corporate to portfolio life…

To be quite honest, when I first made this transition, I felt vulnerable because:

A. I was leaving what many would consider a ’safe, high-flying’ corporate job

B. At the time, not many people knew about this path or considered it to be a ‘proper' career (Still, some people don’t 😉)

C. All of a sudden, I didn’t have the credibility, protection or status of a big brand name behind me

Enter the identity crisis…

Am I good enough to be just ‘me’. Not, ‘me’ employee of [insert big brand name here]’?

Will clients see my value without the corporate label?

Can I be considered ‘successful’ without the big corporate career?

This is something I hear a lot from CFOs going through the same shift. Maybe you can relate?

I’ve found the following particularly important in helping myself and others navigate this time:

▶ Networking, networking, networking
▶ Building marketing/sales skills
▶ Becoming part of a network/organiser of fractional professionals
▶ Being open to redefining success on your own terms
▶ Resilience - lots of it!

What else have you found helpful?

I had a fabulous conversation Mark Gandy on the #CFOBookshelf podcast on everything ‘Fractional CFO’. It was a really open and honest chat — I'd love for you to give it a listen and let me know what you think.